Compositions comprising precursors for volatiles

ABSTRACT

A detergent, cleaning, fabric softener or cosmetic composition comprising a compound based on 1-Aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane (bicyclic oxazolidine derivative) substituted with 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-nonyldien represented by formula (I) 
                         
is disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a national stage entry according to 35 U.S.C.§ 371 of PCT application No.: PCT/EP2018/075921 filed on Sep. 25, 2018;which claims priority to German Patent Application Serial No.: 10 2017122 977.9, which was filed on Oct. 4, 2017; which is incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety and for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

A detergent, cleaning, fabric softener or cosmetic compositions mayinclude a compound based on 1-Aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane(bicyclic oxazolidine derivative) substituted with 2-phenyl propyl.

BACKGROUND

In addition to the use of fragrances in detergent, cleaning, fabricsoftening and cosmetic composition, it is also known to usepro-fragrances in such compositions. By analogy with pro-drugs,pro-fragrances are chemical derivatives of a fragrance, which forexample reduce the volatility of the fragrance and allow a delayedrelease of the fragrance over time under ambient conditions. Byderivatization of fragrances, such as aldehyde or ketone fragrances, thevapor pressure of these compounds can be lowered. Since thederivatization reaction is reversible, the chemically bound aldehyde orketone fragrance may, under certain conditions, e.g., ambientconditions, be released, which may lead to a prolonged scent impression.

The base compound used for forming the pro-fragrance is a1-aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane (bicyclic oxazolidine derivative).Such oil-soluble substituted monocyclic and bicyclic oxazolidines aredisclosed for the use as additives in automatic transmission fluids, forexample, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,353. Examples described therein includereaction products of optionally substituted 2-amino-1,3-propanediolswith paraformaldehyde and isobutyraldehyde.

Pro-fragrance compounds based on 1-aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octanederivatives are for example disclosed in WO 2007/087977 A1. In thisreference, a generic formula for those compounds is disclosed togetherwith a long list of exemplary compounds for aldehydes or ketones thatare commonly used as fragrances.

An object of the present invention was to provide detergent, cleaning,fabric softener or cosmetic compositions comprising oxazolidinecompounds of the general formula of WO 2007/087977 A1, that provide fora prolonged scent perception, in particular in comparison to theexplicitly disclosed examples of this reference.

SUMMARY

The present inventors have surprisingly found that1-aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane (bicyclic oxazolidine derivatives)compounds substituted with 2-phenylpropyl, produced by reacting thecorresponding aldehyde 3-methyl-3-phenylpropanal (commercially availableunder the tradename trifernal) with serinol or a derivative thereof,provide for improved scent long-lastingness and intensity compared toother known 1-aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane compounds, for examplethose substituted with 3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-2-methylpropyl (using thecorresponding aldehyde 3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-2-methylpropanal

In a first aspect, the present invention thus relates to detergent,cleaning, fabric softener or cosmetic composition comprising a compoundbased on 1-Aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane substituted with2-phenylpropyl represented by formula (I)

wherein

R^(a) is hydrogen or a C₁₋₂₀ alkyl group which can optionally besubstituted with hydroxyl groups and/or amine groups and/or in which upto 8 —CH₂— groups which are not adjacent to each other can besubstituted by —O—, such as R^(a) is hydrogen or C₁₋₆ alkyl,alternatively R^(a) is hydrogen or methyl, or R^(a) is hydrogen;

R^(b) and R^(c) are independently selected from hydrogen or C₁₋₆ alkyl,such as R^(b) and R^(c) are independently selected from hydrogen andmethyl, alternatively R^(b) and R^(c) are both hydrogen.

In a second aspect, the invention pertains to detergent, cleaning,fabric softener or cosmetic composition comprising a mixture of at leastone compound of formula (I) and at least one compound of formula (II)

wherein

R^(a) is hydrogen or a C₁₋₂₀ alkyl group which can optionally besubstituted with hydroxyl groups and/or amine groups and/or in which upto 8 —CH₂— groups which are not adjacent to each other can besubstituted by —O—, such as R^(a) is hydrogen or C₁₋₆ alkyl,alternatively R^(a) is hydrogen or methyl, or R^(a) is hydrogen;

R^(b) and R^(c) are independently selected from hydrogen or C₁₋₆ alkyl,such as R^(b) and R^(c) are independently selected from hydrogen andmethyl, alternatively R^(b) and R^(c) are both hydrogen.

The invention also relates to a method for prolonging the scent ofdetergent, cleaning, fabric softening or cosmetic compositions orsurfaces, in particular hard surfaces treated with those compositions,wherein said compositions are those described herein and comprise atleast one compound of formula (I) or mixtures of the compounds offormulae (I) and (II). In particular, the scent impression is prolongedcompared to using the compound of formula (IV).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

“One or more”, as used herein, relates to at least one and comprises 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or more of the referenced species. Similarly, “atleast one” means one or more, i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or more.“At least one”, as used herein in relation to any component, refers tothe number of chemically different molecules, i.e. to the number ofdifferent types of the referenced species, but not to the total numberof molecules. For example, “at least one aldehyde” means that at leastone type of molecule falling within the definition for an aldehyde isused but that also two or more different molecule types falling withinthis definition can be present, but does not mean that only one moleculeof said aldehyde is present.

If reference is made herein to a molecular weight, this reference refersto the weight average molecular weight M_(w), if not explicitly statedotherwise. The weight average molecular weight can be determined by gelpermeation chromatography.

All percentages given herein in relation to the compositions orformulations relate to weight % relative to the total weight of therespective composition or formula, if not explicitly stated otherwise.

In a non-limiting embodiment, detergent, cleaning, fabric softening andcosmetic compositions are also referred to as agents, such as, e.g.,detergent agent or fabric softening agent.

It has been surprisingly found by the inventors that compounds based on1-aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane substituted with 2-phenylpropyl havean improved prolonged scent impression compared to the compounds of thistype known in the prior art. Furthermore, it has been found that thedeposition of such bicyclic compounds on solid surfaces such astextiles, skin or hard surfaces is improved.

The compounds of formulae (I) and (II) used in the compositions can beobtained by a method that comprises reacting at least one compound offormula (III)

wherein

R^(a) is hydrogen or a C₁₋₂₀ alkyl group which can optionally besubstituted with hydroxyl groups and/or amine groups and/or in which upto 8 —CH₂— groups which are not adjacent to each other can besubstituted by —O—, such as R^(a) is hydrogen or C₁₋₆ alkyl,alternatively R^(a) is hydrogen or methyl, or R^(a) is hydrogen;

R^(b) and R^(c) are independently selected from hydrogen or C₁₋₆ alkyl,such as R^(b) and R^(c) are independently selected from hydrogen andmethyl, alternatively R^(b) and R^(c) are both hydrogen; with

a compound of formula (IV)

in a ring forming reaction. In this reaction, the aldehyde group of3-methyl-3-phenylpropanal reacts with the hydroxyl and the amino groupsof the compound of formula (III) to form the compounds of formula (I)and/or (II).

The compounds of general formula (III) are derived from2-amino-1,3-propanediol (serinol). By producing the bicyclic compounds,it is possible to achieve a high degree of loading of the2-amino-1,3-propanediols, so that the use of smaller amounts of2-amino-1,3-propanediols is possible. This achieves a prolongation ofthe scent impression even with smaller amounts of2-amino-1,3-propanediols, which can lead to cost advantages and alsoavoids the introduction of large quantities of chemicals into detergent,cleaning, fabric softening or cosmetic compositions.

As can be seen from the above, it is also possible to use monocycliccompounds based on 2-amino-1,3-propanediols, i.e. the compounds offormula (II). These are generated as byproducts in the synthesis of thecompounds of formula (I). It is possible to achieve a high degree ofloading of the 2-amino-1,3-propanediols, so that bicyclic oxazolidinesare generally used.

In compounds according to formula (I) R^(a) is hydrogen or a C₁₋₂₀ alkylgroup which can optionally be substituted with hydroxyl groups and/oramine groups and/or in which up to 8 —CH₂— groups which are not adjacentto each other can be substituted by —O—, such as R^(a) is hydrogen orC₁₋₆ alkyl, alternatively R^(a) is hydrogen or methyl, or R^(a) ishydrogen;

R^(b) and R^(c) are independently selected from hydrogen or C₁₋₆ alkyl,such as R^(b) and R^(c) are independently selected from hydrogen andmethyl, alternatively R^(b) and R^(c) are both hydrogen.

In various embodiments, R^(a) is hydrogen or methyl and R^(b) and R^(c)are hydrogen. Non-limiting embodiments include R^(a) to R^(c) to both behydrogen. In another non-limiting embodiment, R^(a) is methyl and R^(b)and R^(c) are hydrogen. This provides for an improved long-lastingnessof the scent and high intensity even after prolonged periods of time.

To produce the compounds of formula (I) the amino alcohol of formula(III) is reacted with an aldehyde of formula (IV) which is4,8-dimethyl-4,9-decadienal, commercially available under the namefloral super and having the CAS No. 71077-31-1. According to oneembodiment, the compounds of general formula (I) are derived from a2-amino-1,3-propanediol molecule of formula (III) and two aldehydemolecules of formula (IV). In the reaction of less than stoichiometricamounts of aldehydes, monocyclic compounds are also present in theproduct mixture. The amount of bicyclic compounds to monocycliccompounds may be adjusted easily through the choice of the molar ratiosbetween aldehyde and 2-amino-1,3-propanediol. Large amounts of bicyclicstructures are especially useful. Such mixtures contain at least 50wt.-%, such as at least 65 wt.-%, or at least 80 wt.-% of bicyclicstructures, based on the total weight of the compounds. In variousembodiments, this means that in the mixtures of compounds according toformulae (I) and (II), the amount of compounds of formula (I) is higherthan 50 mol.-% relative to the total amount of compounds of formulae (I)and (II), such as higher than 70 mol.-%, alternatively higher than 80mol.-%, or at least 90 mol.-%.

The reaction is performed in a suitable solvent or in situ, such as in asuitable solvent. Suitable solvents include, for example, hydrocarbonscontaining aromatics, in particular toluene. The reaction is carried outat a temperature in the range of 80 to 150° C., such as 100 to 140° C.,alternatively at 120° C. For example, as the starting material thecompound of general formula (III) is used together with the aldehyde andthe solvent under nitrogen atmosphere. This reaction mixture is thenheated, such as from 5 minutes to 20 hours, alternatively from 1 to 10hours, or from 6 to 8 hours, whereupon the solids gradually go intosolution. The reaction is finished when no more water as by-product ofthe reaction is produced. The mixture is heated under reflux on a waterseparator. The resulting reaction product is isolated by conventionalmethods, for example by drying in vacuum, and purified if necessary.

The compounds are used as pro-fragrances. The term “pro-fragrance”describes in general derivatives of aldehyde and ketone fragrances,which release the original aldehydes and ketones under ambientconditions. Ambient conditions are typical ambient conditions in thehuman biosphere and/or the conditions encountered on human skin. Thecompounds of general formula (I) and (II) disintegrate slowly underambient conditions in a reversal of the synthesis process, releasing theoriginal aldehydes. Accordingly, the compounds may be used aspro-fragrances.

The at least one compound may be used as the only fragrance substance,but it is also possible to use mixtures of fragrances, which arecomprised only partially of the at least one compound. In particular,fragrance mixtures containing 1 to 50 wt.-%, such as 5 to 40.-wt.-%, andin particular max. 30 wt.-% of the at least one compound of formula (I)or the mixture of compounds of formulae (I) and (II), based on the totalweight of the fragrance mixture may be used. In a non-limitingembodiment, the at least one compound or compound mixture can be usedtogether with further fragrance compounds different from the compoundsof formulae (I) and (II). By the use of additional perfume compounds inthe compositions, e.g., detergent or cleaning compositions, it ispossible to create a variety of characteristics of the final product,which are only possible by using them in combination with the at leastone compound or the mixture of the compounds. For example, it ispossible to divide the total perfume content (fragrance content) of acomposition, for example a detergent or cleaning composition, into twoportions, x and y, wherein portion x comprises the compounds and portiony comprises traditional scent substances, like perfume oils.

The fragrance substances (or perfume compounds, with these two termsbeing used interchangeably herein) that may be additionally incorporatedare not subject to any restrictions. Individual perfume substancecompounds of natural or synthetic origin, e.g., of the type of esters,ethers, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols and hydrocarbons may thus be usedas the perfume substance including perfume oils. Fragrance compounds ofthe ester type include, for example, benzyl acetate, phenoxyethylisobutyrate, p-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, linalyl acetate,dimethylbenzylcarbinyl acetate (DMBCA), phenylethyl acetate, benzylacetate, ethylmethyl phenyl glycinate, allylcyclohexyl propionate,styrallyl propionate, benzyl salicylate, cyclohexylsalicylate, floramat,melusat and jasmacyclate. The ethers include, for example, benzylethylether and ambroxan; the aldehydes include, for example, the linearalkanals with 8 to 18 carbon atoms, citral, citronellal, citronellyloxyacetaldehyde, cyclamenaldehyde, lilial and bourgeonal; the ketonesinclude, for example, the ionones, α-isomethylionone and methyl cedrylketone; the alcohols include anethole, citronellol, eugenol, geraniol,linalool, phenylethyl alcohol and terpineol; the hydrocarbons includemainly terpenes such as limonene and pinene. However, mixtures ofvarious fragrance substances which jointly produce an attractive scentnote are possible.

Such fragrance substances may also contain mixtures of natural perfumesubstances such as those accessible from plant sources, e.g., pine oil,citrus oil, jasmine oil, patchouli oil, rose oil or ylang-ylang oil.Also suitable are muscatel sage oil, chamomile oil, clove oil, lemonbalm oil, mint oil, cinnamon leaf oil, linden blossom oil, juniper berryoil, vetiver oil, olibanum oil, galbanum oil and labdanum oil as well asorange blossom oil, neroli oil, orange peel oil and sandalwood oil.

Other traditional fragrance substances that may be used include, forexample, the essential oils such as angelica root oil, anise oil, arnicablossom oil, sweet basil oil, bay oil, champaca blossom oil, silver firoil, fir cone oil, elemi oil, eucalyptus oil, fennel oil, spruce needleoil, galbanum oil, geranium oil, ginger grass oil, guaiac wood oil,gurjun balsam oil, helichrysum oil, ho oil, ginger oil, iris oil,cajeput oil, calamus oil, chamomile oil, camphor oil, canaga oil,cardamom oil, cassia oil, pine needle oil, copaiba balsam oil, corianderoil, spearmint oil, caraway oil, cumin oil, lavender oil, lemon grassoil, lime oil, mandarin oil, lemon balm oil, ambrette seed oil, myrrhoil, clove oil, neroli oil, niaouli oil, olibanum oil, origanum oil,palmarosa oil, patchouli oil, Peru balsam oil, petitgrain oil, pepperoil, peppermint oil, allspice oil, pine oil, rose oil, rosemary oil,sandalwood oil, celery seed oil, spike lavender oil, star anise oil,turpentine oil, thuja oil, thyme oil, verbena oil, vetiver oil, juniperberry oil, vermouth oil, wintergreen oil, ylang-ylang oil, ysop oil,cinnamon oil, cinnamon leaf oil, citronella oil, lemon oil and cypressoil as well as compounds selected from the group of ambrettolide,ambroxan, α-amylcinnamaldehyde, anethole, anise aldehyde, anise alcohol,anisole, anthranilic acid methyl ester, acetophenone, benzylacetone,benzaldehyde, benzoic acid ethyl ester, benzophenone, benzyl alcohol,benzyl acetate, benzyl benzoate, benzyl formate, benzyl valerate,borneol, bornyl acetate, boisambrene forte, α-bromostyrene,n-decylaldehyde, n-dodecylaldehyde, eugenol, eugenol methyl ether,eucalyptol, farnesol, fenchone, fenchyl acetate, geranyl acetate,geranyl formate, heliotropin, heptin carboxylic acid methyl ester,heptaldehyde, hydroquinone dimethyl ester, hydroxycinnamyl aldehyde,hydroxycinnamyl alcohol, indole, iron, isoeugenol, isoeugenol methylether, isosafrol, jasmine, camphor, carvacrol, carbon, p-cresol methylether, coumarin, p-methoxyacetophenone, methyl-n-amyl ketone, methylanthranilic acid methyl ester, p-methylacetophenone, methyl chavicol,p-methylquinoline, methyl β-naphthyl ketone, methyl n-nonylaldehyde,nonyl alcohol, n-octylaldehyde, p-oxyacetphenone, pentadecanolide,β-phenylethyl alcohol, phenylacetaldehyde-dimethylacetal, phenylaceticacid, pulegon, safrole, salicylic acid isoamyl ester, salicylic acidmethyl ester, salicylic acid hexyl ester, salicylic acid cyclohexylester, santalol, sandelice, skatol, terpineol, thyme, thymol, troenan,γ-undelactone, vanillin, veratrum aldehyde, cinnamyl aldehyde, cinnamylalcohol, cinnamic acid, cinnamic acid ethyl ester, cinnamic acid benzylester, diphenyl oxide, limonene, linalool, linayl acetate and linalylpropionate, melusat, menthol, menthone, methyl-n-heptenone, pinene,phenyl acetaldehyde, terpinyl acetate, citral, citronellal and mixturesthereof.

All fragrance substances disclosed herein, can be used in thecompositions or agents in free or encapsulated form or both.Specifically, the compounds of formulae (I) and (II) can be used in freeor encapsulated form or both. As they are used as precursors, they areused in free, i.e. non-encapsulated form. In various embodiments, theycan be combined with encapsulated fragrances, wherein these may alsoinclude free nympheal. As capsules, microcapsules can be used, all ofwhich are known in the art and include, without limitation, aminoplastand acrylate microcapsules. The microcapsules in which the fragrances orpro-fragrances are encapsulated may have a core-shell morphology, withthe shell being typically formed of a polymer, or alternatively may havethe form of matrix particles in which the fragrance substances areentrapped.

The at least one compound of formula (I) or the mixture of compounds offormulae (I) and (II) can be used in perfume compositions, can bepresent in those in amounts of 0.001 to 100 wt.-% relative to the totalweight of the perfume composition, such as in amounts of 0.1 to 90wt.-%, such as 1 to 90 wt.-%, 2 to 85 wt.-%, 5 to 75 wt.-% or 10 to 50wt.-%.

The at least one compound of formula (I) or the mixture of compounds offormulae (I) and (II) are used in detergents and cleaning compositions,fabric softening composition and cosmetic compositions. These may besolid, gel or liquid formulations, and solid formulations may be in theform of powder, granules, tablets or tabs. Liquid formulations may besolutions, emulsions or dispersions. A mixture of those can be presentas well, for example in one dosage unit systems comprising two or threedifferent forms, like pouches. For example, such dosage forms caninclude solid and liquid compositions, or solid and gel or liquid andgel or all three.

Detergent compositions can in particular be used for manual or machinewashing of textiles. They may be detergents or cleaning compositions forindustrial use or for domestic use. Cleaning compositions are those usedfor cleaning hard surfaces. Such compositions include dishwashingdetergents, which are used for manual dishwashing or automaticdishwashers. Also included are conventional industrial or householdcleaners with which hard surfaces such as furniture surfaces,flagstones, ceramic tiles, wall coverings and floor coverings arecleaned. Fabric softening compositions include, in particular, fabricsofteners that are used for treating textiles during or after beinglaundered. The cosmetic compositions may be pastes, ointments, creams,emulsions, lotions and solutions, in particular, alcohol-basedsolutions, which are known from fine perfumery, for example. Theindividual agents may be applied in any suitable form. For example, theycan be applied by spraying. The inventive compounds and mixtures mayalso be used to cover bad odors, which adhere well to solid surfaceswhen combined with other absorbents, for example.

The detergent, cleaning, fabric softening or cosmetic compositions, maycomprise the at least one inventive compound of formula (I) or mixturesof the compounds of formula (I) and (II). The compounds or mixtures areused in an amount sufficient for the effect. In non-limiting embodimentsthe detergent, cleaning, fabric softener or cosmetic compositionscomprise the at least one compound or compound mixture in amounts of0.000001 to 5 wt.-%, such as 0.00001 to 2 wt.-%, alternatively 0.0001 to1 wt.-%, or in 0.0001 to 0.1 wt.-%, based on the total weight of thecomposition.

Those skilled in the art are familiar with the composition ofconventional detergents or cleaning agents, fabric softeners andcosmetics and can design such agents based on their common technicalknowledge.

Detergents and cleaning agents and fabric softeners may contain otherconventional ingredients of detergents and cleaning and fabricsofteners, such as surfactants, builder substances, bleaching agents,other scent substances, enzymes and other active ingredients, but alsodisintegration aids, tablet disintegrants, to facilitate thedisintegration of highly compressed tablets and tabs and to shorten thedisintegration times. Surfactants, in particular, are among theessential ingredients of detergents and cleaning agents and fabricsofteners.

A high or low surfactant content will be selected, depending on theintended use of the inventive agents. The surfactant content of adetergent agent is usually between 10 and 40 wt.-%, such as between 12.5and 30 wt.-% and, in particular, between 15 and 25 wt.-%, whereascleaning agents for dishwashing machines contain between 0.1 and 10wt.-%, such as between 0.5 and 7.5 wt.-% and, in particular, between 1and 5 wt.-% surfactant, based on the total weight of the respectivedetergent or cleaning agent.

The surfactants are typically selected from the group of anionic,nonionic, zwitterionic or cationic surfactants but for economic reasonsand because of their performance spectrum, anionic and/or nonionicsurfactants are usable in washing and cleaning compositions, while infabric softening compositions, cationic surfactants are used.

In principle, all anionic surfactant substances suitable for use on thehuman body may be used as the anionic surfactants. These arecharacterized by a water-solubilizing anionic group, e.g., acarboxylate, sulfate, sulfonate or phosphate group and a lipophilicalkyl group with approximately 8 to 30 carbon atoms. In addition, glycolor polyglycol ether groups, ester, ether and amide groups as well ashydroxyl groups may be present in the molecule. Examples of suitableanionic surfactants include the following, and can be in the form of asodium, potassium and/or ammonium salt, as well as the mono-, di- andtrialkanolammonium salts with 2 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkanol groupas well:

linear and branched fatty acids having the formula R¹—COOH, wherein R¹is an linear or branched C₈ to C₃₀ alkyl (soaps),

ether carboxylic acids of formula R²—O—(CH₂—CH₂O)_(X)—CH₂—COOH, in whichR² is a linear alkyl group with 8 to 30 carbon atoms and x=0 or 1 to 16,

alkylsarcosides with 8 to 24 carbon atoms in the acyl group,

acyltaurides with 8 to 24 carbon atoms in the acyl group,

acylsethionates with 8 to 24 carbon atoms in the acyl group,

sulfosuccinic acid monoalkyl and dialkyl esters with 8 to 24 carbonatoms in the alkyl group and

sulfosuccinic acid monoalkylpolyoxyethyl esters with 8 to 24 carbonatoms in the alkyl group and 1 to 6 oxyethyl groups,

linear alkanesulfonates with 8 to 24 carbon atoms,

linear α-olefinsulfonates with 8 to 24 carbon atoms,

α-sulfofatty acid methyl esters of fatty acids with 8 to 30 carbonatoms,

alkyl sulfates and alkypolyglycol ether sulfates of formulaR³—O(CH₂—CH₂O)_(x)—OSO₃H, in which R³ is a alkyl group, such as a linearalkyl group, with 8 to 30 carbon atoms and x=0 or 1 to 12,

mixed surfactant hydroxysulfonates,

sulfated hydroxyalkylpolyethylene and/or hydroxyalkylenepropylene glycolethers,

sulfonated unsaturated fatty acids with 8 to 24 carbon atoms and 1 to 6double bonds,

esters of tartaric acid and citric acid with alcohols which are additionproducts of approximately 2 to 15 molecules of ethylene oxide and/orpropylene oxide onto fatty alcohols with 8 to 22 carbon atoms,

alkyl and/or alkenyl ether phosphates of the formula (E1-I):

in which R⁴ is an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical with 8 to 30 carbonatoms, R⁵ is hydrogen, a (CH₂CH₂O)_(n)R⁶, wherein R⁶ is an aliphatichydrocarbon radical with 8 to 30 carbon atoms, group or X, n is aninteger from 1 to 10 and X is independently hydrogen an alkali metal oran alkaline earth metal or a NR⁷R⁸R⁹R¹⁰ group, with R⁷ to R¹⁰ beingindepently selected from hydrogen or a C1 to C4 hydrocarbon radical,

sulfated fatty acid alkylene glycol esters of formula (E1-II):

-   -   R¹¹CO(AlkO)_(m)SO₃M (E1-II)    -   in which R¹¹CO— is a linear or branched, aliphatic, saturated        and/or unsaturated acyl radical with 6 to 22 carbon atoms, Alk        is CH₂CH₂, CHCH₃CH₂ and/or CH₂CHCH₃, m is a number from 0.5 to 5        and M is a cation,

monoglyceride sulfates and monoglyceride ether sulfates of formula(E1-III)

in which R¹²CO is a linear or branched acyl radical with 6 to 22 carbonatoms, x, y and i add up to 0 or stand for numbers from 1 to 30, such as2 to 10, and X stands for an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal.Typical examples of monoglyceride (ether) sulfates suitable include thereaction products of lauric acid monoglyceride, coconut fatty acidmonoglyceride, palmitic acid monoglyceride, stearic acid monoglyceride,oleic acid monoglyceride and tallow fatty acid monoglyceride as well astheir ethylene oxide adducts with sulfur trioxide or chlorosulfonic acidin the form of their sodium salts. Monoglyceride sulfates of formula(E1-II) are used in which R¹²CO is a linear acyl radical with 8 to 18carbon atoms,

amide ether carboxylic acids,

condensation products of C8-C30 fatty alcohols with protein hydrolysatesand/or amino acids and their derivatives with which those skilled in theart are familiar as protein-fatty acid condensates such as Lamepon®grades, Gluadin® grades, Hostapon® KCG or the Amisoft® grades.

Non-limiting anionic surfactants include alkyl sulfates, alkylpolyglycolether sulfates and ether carboxylic acids with 10 to 18 carbon atoms inthe alkyl group and up to 12 glycol ether groups in the molecule,sulfosuccinic acid monoalkyl and dialkyl esters with 8 to 18 carbonatoms in the alkyl group and sulfosuccinic acid monoalkylpolyoxyethylesters with 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and 1 to 6 oxyethylgroups, monoglyceride sulfates, alkyl and alkenyl ether phosphates andprotein-fatty acid condensates. In non-limiting embodiments thoseanionic surfactants are present in 1 to 20 wt.-%, such as 3 to 15 wt.-%,based on the total weight of the composition.

Cationic surfactants may also be used. Non-limiting cationic surfactantsof the quaternary ammonium compound type include, ester quats andamidoamines. Non-limiting quaternary ammonium compounds include ammoniumhalides, in particular, chlorides and bromides such asalkyltrimethylammonium chlorides, dialkyldimethylammonium chlorides andtrialkylmethylammonium chloride, e.g., cetyltrimethylammonium chloride,stearyltrimethylammonium chloride, distearyldimethylammonium chloride,lauryldimethylammonium chloride, lauryldimethylbenzylammonium chlorideand tricetylmethylammonium chloride, lauryldimethylammonium chloride,lauryldimethylbenzylammonium chloride and tricetylmethylammoniumchloride as well as the imidazolium compounds known by the INCIdesignations quaternium-27 and quaternium-83 are usable. The long alkylchains of the surfactants mentioned above may have 10 to 18 carbonatoms.

Ester quats are known substances which contain at least one esterfunction as well as at least one quaternary ammonium group as astructural element. Non-limiting ester quats are quaternated ester saltsof fatty acids with triethanolamine, quaternated ester salts of fattyacids with diethanolalkylamines and quaternated ester salts of fattyacids with 1,2-dihydroxypropyldialkylamines. Such products aredistributed under the brand names Stepantex®, Dehyquart® and Armocare®,for example. The products Armocare® VGH-70, andN,N-bis(2-palmitoyloxyethyl)dimethylammonium chloride as well asDehyquart® F-17, Dehyquart® C-4046, Dehyquart® L80 and Dehyquart® AU-35are commercially available examples of such esterquats.

The alkylamidoamines are usually prepared by amidation of natural orsynthetic fatty acids and fatty acid cuts with dialkylaminoamines.Stearamidopropyldimethylamine, which is available commercially under thebrand name Tegoamid® S18 is an especially suitable compound.

The cationic surfactants are present in the inventive agents in amountsof 0.05 to 10 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the respectivecomposition. Amounts of 0.1 to 5 wt.-% are used.

In addition to or instead of the cationic surfactants, the agents mayalso contain other surfactants or emulsifiers, in principle, bothanionic and ampholytic and nonionic surfactants as well as all types ofknown emulsifiers being suitable. The group of ampholytic or amphotericsurfactants comprises zwitterionic surfactants and ampholytes. Thesurfactants may already have an emulsifying effect.

Zwitterionic surfactants are surfactant compounds having at least onequaternary ammonium group and at least one —COO⁽⁻⁾ oder —SO₃ ⁽⁻⁾-group.Especially suitable zwitterionic surfactants include betaines such asN-alkyl-N,N-dimethylammonium glycinates, e.g., the coconutalkyldimethylammonium glycinate, N-acylaminopropyl-N,N-dimethylammoniumglycinates, e.g., coconut acylaminopropyldimethylammonium glycinate and2-alkyl-3-carboxymethyl-3-hydroxyethylimidazolines with 8 to 18 carbonatoms each in the alkyl or acyl group as well as coconutacylaminoethylhydroxyethylcarboxymethyl glycinate. A non-limitingzwitterionic surfactant is the fatty acid amide derivative known by theINCI name cocamidopropyl betaine.

Ampholytes are understood to be surfactant compounds which have, inaddition to a C₈-C₂₄ alkyl or acyl group in the molecule, at least onefree amino group and at least one —COOH or —SO3H group and are capableof forming internal salts. Examples of suitable ampholytes includeN-alkylglycines, N-alkylpropionic acids, N-alkylaminobutyric acids,N-alkyliminodipropionic acids,N-hydroxyethyl-N-alkylamidopropylglycines, N-alkyltaurines,N-alkyl-sarcosines, 2-alkylaminopropionic acids and alkylaminoaceticacids each with approx. 8 to 24 carbon atoms in the alkyl group.Non-limiting examples of ampholytes include N-coconutalkylaminopropionate, coconut acylaminoethylaminopropionate and C₁₂-C₁₈acylsarcosine.

Nonionic surfactants contain as the hydrophilic group, e.g., a polyolgroup, a polyalkylene glycol ether group or a combination of a polyolgroup and a polyglycol ether group. Such compounds include, for example:

addition products of 2 to 50 mol ethylene oxide and/or 1 to 5 molpropylene oxide onto linear and branched fatty alcohols with 8 to 30carbon atoms, onto fatty acid with 8 to 30 carbon atoms and ontoalkylphenols with 8 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, with amethyl- or C₂-C₆ alkyl radical end group capped addition products of 2to 50 mol ethylene oxide and/or 1 to 5 mol propylene oxide onto linearand branched fatty alcohols with 8 to 30 carbon atoms, onto fatty acidswith 8 to 30 carbon atoms and onto alkylphenols with 8 to 15 carbonatoms in the alkyl group such as the grades available under the brandnames Dehydol® LS, Dehydol® LT (BASF), C₁₂-C₃₀ fatty acid mono- anddiesters of addition products of 1 to 30 mol ethylene oxide ontoglycerol, addition products of 5 to 60 mol ethylene oxide onto castoroil and hardened castor oil,

polyol fatty acid esters such as the commercial product Hydagen® HSP(BASF) or Sovermol grades (BASF),

alkoxylated triglycerides,

alkoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters of formula (E1-IV)R¹³CO—(OCH₂CHR¹⁴)_(w)OR¹⁵  (E1-IV)in which R¹³CO is fa linear or branched, saturated and/or unsaturatedacyl radical with 6 to 22 carbon atoms, R¹⁴ is hydrogen or methyl, R¹⁵is linear or branched alkyl radicals with 1 to 4 carbon atoms and wstands for numbers from 1 to 20,

amine oxides,

hydroxy mixed ethers,

sorbitan fatty acid esters and addition products of ethylene oxide ontosorbitan fatty acid esters such as the polysorbates,

sugar fatty acid esters and addition products of ethylene oxide ontosugar fatty acid esters,

addition products of ethylene oxide onto fatty acid alkanolamides andfatty amines, sugar surfactants of the alkyl and alkenyl oligoglycosidetype according to formula (E1-V)R¹⁶O—[G]_(p)  (E1-V)in which R¹⁶ is an alkyl or alkenyl radical with 4 to 22 carbon atoms, Gstands for a sugar radical with 5 or 6 carbon atoms and p stands fornumbers from 1 to 10. They may be obtained according to the relevantmethods or preparative organic chemistry. The alkyl and alkenyloligoglycosides may be derived from aldoses and/or ketoses with 5 or 6carbon atoms, such as glucose. The alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosidesare thus alkyl and alkenyl oligoglucosides. The index number p in thegeneral formula (E1-V) denotes the degree of oligomerization (DP), i.e.,the distribution of mono- and oligoglycosides, and stands for a numberbetween 1 and 10. Whereas p in the individual molecule must always be aninteger and may assume values of p=1 to 6, in particular, the value pfor a certain alkyl oligoglycoside is a mathematical quantity obtainedanalytically and usually representing a fraction. Alkyl and/or alkenyloligoglycosides with an average degree of oligomerization p of 1.1 to3.0 are used. From the standpoint of technical applications, alkyland/or alkenyl oligoglycosides whose degree of oligomerization is lessthan 1.7 and, in particular, between 1.2 and 1.4 are used. The alkyland/or alkenyl radical R¹⁶ may be derived from primary alcohols with 4to 11 carbon atoms, such as 8 to 10 carbon atoms. Typical examplesinclude butanol, caproic alcohol, caprylic alcohol, capric alcohol andundecyl alcohol as well as their technical-grade mixtures such as thoseobtained, e.g., in hydrogenation of technical-grade fatty acid methylesters or in the course of hydrogenation of aldehydes from the Roelenoxo synthesis. Alkyl oligoglucosides with a chain length of C₈-C₁₀ (DP=1to 3), which are obtained as the initial fraction in distillativeseparation of technical-grade C₈-C₁₈ coconut fatty alcohol and which maybe contaminated with an amount of less 6 wt.-% C₁₋₂ alcohol, as well asalkyl oligoglucosides based on technical-grade C_(9/11) oxo alcohols(DP=1 to 3) are used. The alkyl and/or alkenyl radical R¹⁶ can as wellderived from primary alcohols with 12 to 22 carbon atoms, such as 12 to14 carbon atoms. Typical examples include lauryl alcohol, myristylalcohol, cetyl alcohol, palmoleyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, isostearylalcohol, oleyl alcohol, elaidyl alcohol, petroselinyl alcohol, arachylalcohol, gadoleyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, erucyl alcohol, brassidylalcohol as well as their technical-grade mixtures which are obtained bythe method described above. Alkyl oligoglucosides based on hardenedC_(12/14) coconut alcohol with a DP of 1 to 3 are used.

Sugar surfactants of the fatty acid N-alkylpolyhydroxyalkylamide type, anonionic surfactant of the formula (E1-VI)

in which R¹⁸CO is an aliphatic acyl radical with 6 to 22 carbon atoms,R¹⁷ hydrogen, an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl radical with 1 to 4 carbon atomsand [Z] is a linear or branched polyhydroxyalkyl radical with 3 to 12carbon atoms and 3 to 10 hydroxyl groups. The fatty acidN-alkylpolyhydroxyalkylamides are known substances which can usually beobtained by reductive amination of a reducing sugar with ammonia, analkylamine or an alkanolamine and subsequent acylation with a fattyacid, a fatty acid alkyl ester or a fatty acid chloride. The fatty acidN-alkylpolyhydroxyalkylamides are derived from reducing sugars with 5 or6 carbon atoms, in particular glucose.

The fatty acid N-alkylpolyhydroxyalkylamides are therefore fatty acidN-alkylglucamides such as those represented by formula (E1-VII):R¹⁹CO—NR²⁰—CH₂—(CHOH)₄CH₂OH  (E1-VII)

The fatty acid N-alkylpolyhydroxyalkylamides used are glucamides of theformula (E1-VII) in which R²⁰ is hydrogen or an alkyl group and R¹⁹CO isan acyl group of caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid,myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmoleic acid, stearic acid, isostearicacid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, petroselinic acid, linoleic acid,linolenic acid, arachic acid, gadoleic acid, behenic acid or erucaicacid and/or technical-grade mixtures of these acids. Non-limitingexamples of fatty acid N-alkylglucamides are those of formula (E1-VII)that are obtained by reductive amination of glucose with methylamine andthen acylation with lauric acid or C_(12/14) coconut fatty acid and/or acorresponding derivative. In addition, the polyhydroxy-alkylamides mayalso be derived from maltose and palatinose.

Non-limiting examples of nonionic surfactants are alkylene oxideaddition products onto saturated linear fatty alcohols and fatty acidseach with 2 to 30 mol ethylene oxide per mol fatty alcohol and/or fattyacid. Preparations with excellent properties are also obtained when theycontain fatty acid esters of ethoxylated glycerol as the nonionicsurfactants.

These compounds are characterized by the following parameters. The alkylradical contains 6 to 22 carbon atoms and may be both linear andbranched. Primary linear aliphatic radicals and those with methylbranching in position 2 are used. Such alkyl radicals include 1-octyl,1-decyl, 1-lauryl, 1-myristyl, 1-cetyl and 1-stearyl. When using “oxoalcohols” as the starting materials, compounds with an odd number ofcarbon atoms in the alkyl chain are predominant.

In addition, the sugar surfactants may also be used as nonionicsurfactants. These are used in amounts of 0.1 to 20 wt.-%, based on therespective total composition. Amounts of 0.5 to 15 wt.-% are used andamounts of 0.5 to 7.5 wt.-% are possible.

The compounds with alkyl groups that are used as the surfactant may beuniform substances. However, it is preferable as a rule to start withnative plant or animal raw materials in the production of thesesubstances, so that substance mixtures with different alkyl chainlengths are obtained, depending on the respective raw material.

The surfactants, which are addition products of ethylene oxide and/orpropylene oxide onto fatty alcohols or derivatives of these additionproducts, may be products with a “normal” homolog distribution as wellas those with a narrow homolog distribution. A “normal” homologdistribution is understood to refer to mixtures of homologs that areobtained by reacting fatty alcohol and alkylene oxide using alkalimetals, alkali metal hydroxides or alkali metal alcoholates ascatalysts. Narrow homolog distributions, however, are obtained whenusing, for example, hydrotalcite, alkaline earth metal salts of ethercarboxylic acids, alkaline earth metal oxides, hydroxides or alcoholatesas catalysts. The use of products with a narrow homolog distribution maybe used.

These nonionic surfactants are usually used in amounts of 0.1 to 45wt.-%, such as 0.5 to 30 wt.-% or from 0.5 to 25 wt.-%, each based onthe respective total composition. The amount used depends essentially onthe intended purpose of the inventive agent. If it is a shampoo oranother cleaning agent, surfactant amounts of more than 45 wt.-%.

The compositions may also contain at least one emulsifier. Emulsifierscause the formation of water-stable and/or oil-stable adsorption layersat the phase boundary, protecting the dispersed droplets fromcoalescence and thereby stabilizing the emulsion. Emulsifiers aretherefore composed of a hydrophobic molecule part and a hydrophilicmolecule part, like surfactants. Hydrophilic emulsifiers form O/Wemulsions and hydrophobic emulsifiers form W/O emulsions. The choice ofthese emulsifying surfactants or emulsifiers will depend on thesubstances to be dispersed and the particular external phase, as well ashow finely divided the emulsion is.

Emulsifiers that can be used include, for example:

-   -   addition products of 4 to 100 mol ethylene oxide and 1 to 5 mol        propylene oxide onto linear fatty alcohols with 8 to 22 carbon        atoms onto fatty acids with 12 to 22 carbon atoms and onto        alkylphenols with 8 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl group,    -   C₁₂-C₂₂ fatty acid mono- and diesters of addition products of 1        to 30 mol ethylene oxide onto polyols with 3 to 6 carbon atoms,        in particular onto glycerol,    -   ethylene oxide and polyglycerol addition products onto methyl        glucoside fatty acid esters, fatty acid alkanolamides and fatty        acid glucamides,    -   C₈-C₂₂ alkylmono- and oligoglycosides and their ethoxylated        analogs, whereby oligomerization degrees of 1.1 to 5, in        particular 1.2 to 2.0 and glucose as the sugar component are        used,    -   mixtures of alkyl(oligo)glucosides and fatty alcohols, e.g., the        commercially available product Montanov® 68,    -   addition products of 5 to 60 mol ethylene oxide onto castor oil        and hardened castor oil, partial esters of polyols with 3 to 6        carbon atoms with saturated fatty acids with 8 to 22 carbon        atoms,    -   sterols; sterols are understood to be a group of steroids which        have a hydroxyl group on carbon 3 of the steroid structure and        are isolated from both animal tissue (zoosterols) and vegetable        fats (phytosterols). Examples of zoosterols include cholesterol        and lanosterol. Examples of suitable phytosterols include        ergosterol, stigmasterol and sitosterol. Sterols and mycosterols        are also isolated from fungi and yeasts.    -   phospholipids; these include especially the glucose        phospholipids, which are obtained, e.g., as lecithins and/or        phosphatidylcholines from egg yolk or plant seeds (e.g.,        soybeans), for example,    -   fatty acid esters of sugars and sugar alcohols such as sorbitol,    -   polyglycerols and polyglycerol derivatives such as polyglycerol,        poly-12-hydroxystearat (commercially available as Dehymuls®        PGPH),    -   linear and branched fatty acids with 8 to 30 carbon atoms and        their Na, K, ammonium, Ca, Mg and Zn salts.

The emulsifiers are used in amounts of 0.1 to 25 wt.-%, in particular0.1 to 3 wt.-%, based on the respective total composition.

Another important group of fabric softener ingredients, detergent andcleaning agent ingredients is the builder substances. This substanceclass is understood to include both organic and inorganic buildersubstances. These are compounds that can have a carrier function in thecompositions as well as acting as a water softener substance in use.

Suitable builders include, for example, alkali metal gluconates,citrates, nitrilotriacetate, carbonates and bicarbonates, in particular,sodium gluconate, citrate and nitrilotriacetate as well as sodium andpotassium carbonate and bicarbonate and alkali metal hydroxides andalkaline earth metal hydroxides, in particular sodium and potassiumhydroxide, ammonium and amines, in particular, mono- and triethanolamineand/or mixtures thereof. These also include the salts of glutaric acid,succinic acid, adipic acid, tartaric acid and benzenehexacarboxylic acidas well as phosphonates and phosphates.

Usable organic builder substances include, for example, thepolycarboxylic acids that may be used in the form of their sodium salts,where polycarboxylic acids are understood to include those carboxylicacids having more than one acid function. For example, these includecitric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, malic acid,tartaric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, sugar acids, aminocarboxylicacids, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), if such a use is not objectionablefor ecological reasons, as well as mixtures thereof. Non-limiting saltsinclude the salts of polycarboxylic acids such as citric acid, adipicacid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, tartaric acid, sugar acids andmixtures thereof. The acids per se may also be used. In addition totheir builder effect, the acids typically also have the property of anacidifying component and thus also serve to adjust a lower and milder pHof detergents or cleaning agents, as in the inventive granules, forexample. Citric acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid,gluconic acid and any mixtures thereof may be mentioned here, inparticular.

Also polymeric polycarboxylates are suitable as builders, including thealkali metal salts of polyacrylic acid or polymethacrylic acid, e.g.,those with a number average molecular weight of 500 g/mol to 70,000g/mol. The (co)polymeric polycarboxylates may be used either as a powderor as an aqueous solution. The (co)polymeric polycarboxylate content ofthe compositions is 0.5 to 20 wt.-%, in particular, 3 to 10 wt.-%.

To improve the water solubility, the polymers may also containallylsulfonic acid, allyloxybenzenesulfonic acid and methallylsulfonicacid as monomers. Biogradable polymers of more than two differentmonomer units, e.g., those containing as monomer salts of acrylic acidand maleic acid as well as vinyl alcohol and/or vinyl alcoholderivatives or containing as monomers salts of acrylic acid and2-alkylallylsulfonic acid as well as sugar derivatives are used, inparticular. Other copolymers include those having as monomers acroleinand acrylic acid/acrylic acid salts and/or acrolein and vinyl acetate.Likewise, polymeric aminodicarboxylic acids, their salts or theirprecursor substances are also to be mentioned as additional buildersubstances. Polyaspartic acids and/or their salts and derivatives whichalso have a bleach-stabilizing effect in addition to co-builderproperties are used.

Other suitable builder substances include polyacetals, which may beobtained by reacting dialdehydes with polycarboxylic acids having 5 to 7carbon atoms and at least three hydroxyl groups. Non-limitingpolyacetals are obtained from dialdehydes such as glyoxal,glutaraldehyde, terephthalaldehyde and mixtures thereof and frompolycarboxylic acids such as gluconic acid and/or glucoheptonic acid.

Other suitable organic builder substances include dextrins, e.g.,oligomers and/or polymers of carbohydrates which can be obtained bypartial hydrolysis of starches. The hydrolysis may be performedaccording to conventional methods, e.g., acid- or enzyme-catalyzedmethods. These are hydrolysis products with number average molecularweights in the range of 400 to 500,000 g/mol. A polysaccharide with adextrose equivalent (DE) in the range of 0.5 to 40, in particular, 2 to30, is possible, where DE is a conventional measure of the reducingeffect of a polysaccharide in comparison with dextrose, which has a DEof 100. Maltodextrins with a DE between 3 and 20 and dry glucose syrupswith a DE between 20 and 30 as well as yellow dextrins and whitedextrins with higher molecular weights in the range of 2,000 to 30,000g/mol may be used. The oxidized derivatives of such dextrins are theirreaction products with oxidizing agents which are capable of oxidizingat least one alcohol function of the saccharide ring to the carboxylicacid function.

Oxydisuccinates and other derivatives of disuccinates, such asethylenediaminedisuccinate, are also suitable co-builders.Ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinate (EDDS) is used in the form of itssodium or magnesium salts. Also possible are glycerol disuccinates andglycerol trisuccinates. Suitable amounts for use in compositionscontaining zeolite and/or silicate are from 3 to 15 wt.-%.

Other organic co-builders that may also be used include, for example,acetylated hydroxycarboxylic acids and/or the salts thereof, which mayalso be in lactone form and which have at least four carbon atoms and atleast one hydroxyl group plus max. two acid groups.

Another substance class with co-builder properties are the phosphonates.These are, in particular, hydroxyalkanephosphonates and/oraminoalkanephosphonates. Of the hydroxyalkanephosphonates,1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonate (HEDP) is especially important as aco-builder. It is preferably used as a sodium salt, whereby the disodiumsalt gives a neutral reaction and the tetrasodium salt gives an alkalinereaction (pH 9). Non-limiting examples includingethylenediaminetetramethylenephosphonate (EDTMP),diethylenetriamine-pentamethylenephosphonate (DTPMP) and their higherhomologs may be used as the aminoalkanephosphonates. They are used inthe form of the neutral reacting sodium salts, e.g., as hexasodium saltof EDTMP and/or as hepta- and octasodium salts of DTPMP. From the classof phosphonates, HEDP is used as a builder.

The aminoalkanephosphonates also have a marked heavy metal bindingcapacity. Accordingly, in particular when the agents also containbleaches, it may be possible to use aminoalkane-phosphonates, inparticular, DTPMP, or mixtures of the aforementioned phosphonates.

In addition, all compounds capable of forming complexes with alkalineearth ions may also be used as co-builders.

A non-limiting inorganic builder is a finely crystalline syntheticzeolite containing bound water. The finely crystalline synthetic zeolitecontaining bound water used here is zeolite A and/or P. For example,zeolite MAP, e.g., Doucil A24® (commercially available from the companyCrosfield) is used as zeolite P. However, zeolite X and mixtures of A, Xand/or P, e.g., a co-crystal product of the zeolites A and X, Vegobond®AX (commercial available from Condea August S.p.A.) are also suitable.The zeolite may be used as a spray-dried powder or as an undriedstabilized emulsion, which is still moist from its preparation. For thecase when the zeolite is used as a suspension, it may contain smalladded amounts of nonionic surfactants as stabilizer, e.g., 1 to 3 wt.-%based on the weight of total zeolite, of ethoxylated C₁₂-C₁₈ fattyalcohols with two to five ethylene oxide groups, C₁₂-C₁₄ fatty alcoholswith four to five ethylene oxide groups or ethoxylated isotridecanols.Suitable zeolites have an average particle size of less than 10 μM(volume distribution; measurement method: Coulter counter) and contain18 to 22 wt.-%, in particular, 20 to 22 wt.-% bound water. Inembodiments, zeolites are present in the premix in amounts of 10 to 94.5wt.-%, but zeolites may be present in amounts of 20 to 70 wt.-%, inparticular 30 to 60 wt.-%

Suitable partial substitutes for zeolites include sheet silicates ofnatural and synthetic origin. Their usability is not limited to aspecific composition and/or structural formula. However, smectites, inparticular bentonites, are possible. Crystalline sheet sodium silicatesof the general formula NaMSi_(x)O_(2x+1)*yH₂O, where M denotes sodium orhydrogen, x denotes a number from 1.9 to 4 and y denotes a number from 0to 20, such as values for x are 2, 3 or 4 are suitable for substitutionof zeolites or phosphates. Non-limiting crystalline sheet silicates ofthe given formula include those in which M stands for sodium and xassumes values of 2 or 3. In particular, both β- and δ-sodiumdisilicates Na₂Si₂O₅*yH₂O are used.

It is also possible to use the generally known phosphates as buildersubstances if such a use should not be avoided for ecological reasons.In particular, the sodium salts of orthophosphates, pyrophosphates and,in particular, tripolyphosphates are suitable.

The agents contain builders in amounts, based on the total weight of thecomposition, of 0 to 20 wt.-% such as from 0.01 to 12 wt.-%,alternatively from 0.1 to 8 wt.-%, or from 0.3 to 5 wt.-%.

In addition to the ingredients already listed, the inventive detergentsand cleaning agents may additionally contain one or more substances fromthe group of bleaching agents, bleach activators, enzymes, pH adjustingagents, fluorescent agents, dyes, foam inhibitors, silicone oils,anti-redeposition agents, optical brighteners, graying inhibitors, dyetransfer inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors and silver protectants. Thesesubstances are described below.

Of the compounds that yield H₂O₂ in water and serve as bleaching agents,sodium perborate tetrahydrate, sodium perborate monohydrate and sodiumpercarbonate are used. Other bleaching agents that may be used include,for example, peroxypyrophosphates, citrate perhydrates and peracid saltsor peracids that supply H₂O₂ such as perbenzoates, peroxophthalates,diperazelaic acid, phthaloimino peracid or diperdodecanedioic acid. Whenusing bleaching agents, it is also possible to omit the use ofsurfactants and/or builders, so that pure bleaching agent tablets can beproduced. If such bleaching agent tablets are to be used for washinglaundry, then a combination of sodium percarbonate with sodiumsesquicarbonate is possible, regardless of which additional ingredientsare present in the molded bodies. If cleaning agents or bleaching agenttablets are produced for machine dishwashing, bleaching agents from thegroup of organic bleaching agents may also be used. Typical organicbleaching agents include the diacyl peroxides, e.g., dibenzoyl peroxide.Other typical organic bleaching agents include the peroxy acids, wherethe alkylperoxy acids and arylperoxy acids may be mentioned, inparticular, as examples. Non-limiting representatives include (a)peroxybenzoic acid and its ring-substituted derivatives, such asalkylperoxybenzoic acids as well as peroxy-α-naphthoic acid andmagnesium monoperphthalate, (b) the aliphatic or substituted aliphaticperoxy acids such as peroxylauric acid, peroxystearic acid,ϵ-phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid (phthaloiminoperoxyhexanoic acid (PAP)),o-carboxybenzamidoperoxycaproic acid, N-nonenylamidoperadipic acid andN-nonenylamidopersuccinates and (c) aliphatic and araliphaticperoxydicarboxylic acids such as 1,12-diperoxyphthalic acid,1,9-diperoxyazelaic acid, diperoxysebacic acid, diperoxybrassylic acid,diperoxyphthalic acids, 2-decyldiperoxybutane-1,4-diacid,N,N-terephthaloyldi-(6-aminopercaproic acid) may also be used.

Substances that release chlorine or bromine may also be used asbleaching agents in agents for machine dishwashing. Of the suitablematerials that release chlorine or bromine, heterocyclic N-bromo andN-chloroamides may be considered, e.g., trichloroisocyanuric acid,tribromoisocyanuric acid, dibromoisocyanuric acid and/ordichloroisocyanuric acid (DICA) and/or the salts thereof with cationssuch as potassium and sodium. Hydantoin compounds such as1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin are also suitable.

To achieve an improved bleaching effect when washing or cleaning attemperatures of 60° C. or lower, bleach activators may also beincorporated into the inventive detergents and cleaning agents. Bleachactivators may include compounds that yield aliphatic peroxocarboxylicacids with 1 to 10 carbon atoms, such as 2 to 4 carbon atoms and/oroptionally substituted perbenzoic acid under perhydrolysis conditionsmay be used as bleach activators. Substances that have O-acyl groupsand/or N-acyl groups with the aforementioned number of carbon atomsand/or optionally substituted benzoyl groups are suitable. Polyacylatedalkylenediamines, in particular, tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED),acylated triazine derivatives, in particular,1,5-diacetyl-2,4-dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (DAD HT), acylatedglycolurils, in particular, tetraacetylglycoluril (TAGU), N-acylimide,in particular, N-nonanoylsuccinimide (NOSI), acylated phenolsulfonates,in particular, n-nonanoyl- or isononanoyloxybenzene sulfonate (n- and/oriso-NOBS), carboxylic anhydride, in particular, phthalic anhydride,acylated polyvalent alcohols, in particular, triacetin, ethylene glycoldiacetate and 2,5-diacetoxy-2,5-dihydrofuran are used.

In addition to or in place of the conventional bleach activators, bleachcatalysts may also be present. These substances are bleach-potentiatingtransition metal salts and/or transition metal complexes, e.g., Mn, Fe,Co, Ru or Mo saline complexes or carbonyl complexes. Mn, Fe, Co, Ru, Mo,Ti, V and Cu complexes with tripod ligands containing N as well as Co,Fe, Cu and Ru-ammine complexes may also be used as bleach catalysts.

The enzymes that may be used include those from the class of proteases,lipases, amylases, cellulases and/or mixtures thereof. Enzymatic activeingredients obtained from bacterial strains or fungi, e.g., Bacillussubtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and Streptomyces griseus are especiallysuitable. Proteases of the subtilisin type and, in particular, proteasesobtained from Bacillus lentus are used. Enzyme mixtures, e.g., fromprotease and amylase or protease and lipase or protease and lipase orprotease and cellulase or from cellulase and lipase or from protease,amylase and lipase or protease, lipase and cellulase, but in particularmixtures containing cellulase are of special interest. Peroxidases oroxidases have also proven suitable in some cases. The enzymes may beadsorbed onto carrier substances and/or embedded in sheathing substancesto protect them from premature decomposition. The amount of enzymes,enzyme mixtures or enzyme granules in the inventive molded bodies may be0.1 to 5 wt.-%, such as 0.1 to approx. 2 wt.-%, based on the totalweight of the composition. The most commonly used enzymes includelipases, amylases, cellulases and proteases. Non-limiting proteasesinclude BLAP® 140 from the company Biozym, Optimase® M-440 andOpticlean® M-250 from the company Solvay Enzymes; Maxacal® CX andMaxapem® or Esperase® from the company Gist Brocades or Savinase® fromthe company Novo. Especially suitable cellulases and lipases includeCelluzym® 0.7 T and Lipolase® 30 T from the company Novo Nordisk.Duramyl® and Termamyl® 60 T and Termamyl® 90 T from the company Novo,Amylase-LT® from the company Solvay Enzymes or Maxamyl® P5000 from thecompany Gist Brocades are used, in particular. Other enzymes may also beused.

In addition, the detergents and cleaning agents may also containcomponents which have a positive influence on the release of oil and fatfrom textiles (soil repellents). This effect becomes especiallypronounced when a textile that has already been washed repeatedly withan inventive detergent containing this oil- and fat-releasing componentis soiled. The oil- and fat-releasing components include, for example,nonionic cellulose ethers such as methyl cellulose and methylhydroxypropyl cellulose with a methoxyl group content of 15 to 30 wt.-%and a hydroxypropoxyl group content of 1 to 15 wt.-%, each based on thenonionic cellulose ether, as well as the polymers of phthalic acidand/or terephthalic acid known from the state of the art and/or theirderivatives, in particular, polymers of ethylene terephthalates andpolyethylene glycol terephthalates or anionically and/or nonionicallymodified derivatives thereof. Of these, the sulfonated derivatives ofphthalic acid polymers and terephthalic acid polymers are especiallyused.

In addition, the agents may also contain as optical brightenersderivatives of diaminestilbenedisulfonic acid and/or its alkali metalsalts. For example, the salts of4,4′-bis(2-anilino-4-morpholino-1,3,5-triazinyl-6-amino)stilbene-2,2′-disulfonicacid or similarly constructed compounds which have a diethanolaminogroup, a methylamino group, an anilino group or a 2-methoxyethylaminogroup instead of the morpholino group are also suitable. In addition,brighteners of the substituted diphenylstyryl type may also be present,e.g., the alkali salts of 4,4′-bis(2-sulfostyryl)diphenyl,4,4′-bis(4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl)diphenyl or4-(4-chlorostyryl)-4′-(2-sulfostyryl)diphenyl. Mixtures of theaforementioned brighteners may also be used.

To improve the aesthetic impression of the inventive agents, they may bepigmented with suitable dyes. Non-limiting dyes, the selection of whichwill not pose any problems for those skilled in the art, have a highstability in storage and are insensitive to the other ingredients of theagents and to light, and do not have any pronounced substantivity withrespect to textile fibers, so as not to stain the latter.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, detergents and cleaning agentsalso include dishwashing agents. The inventive dishwashing agents maycontain corrosion inhibitors to protect the washed utensils or themachine, whereby, in particular, silver protectants have a specialimportance in the field of machine dishwashing. In general, silverprotectants selected from the group of triazoles, benzotriazoles,bisbenzotriazoles, aminotriazoles, alkylaminotriazoles and transitionmetal salts or complexes may be used, in particular. Benzotriazoleand/or alkylaminotriazole are especially for use. In addition, cleaningagent formulations frequently also contain agents having active chlorinewhich can significantly reduce corrosion on the surface of silver. Inchlorine-free cleaners, oxygen-containing and nitrogen-containingorganic redox-active compounds are used in particular, such as divalentand trivalent phenols, e.g., hydroquinone, pyrocatechol,hydroxyhydroquinone, gallic acid, phloroglucine, pyrogallol and/orderivatives of these classes of compounds. Salt-like and complex-likeinorganic compounds, e.g., the salts of the metals Mn, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Coand Ce are frequently also used. Transition metal salts selected fromthe group of manganese and/or cobalt salts and/or complexes arepossible, such as the cobalt-(ammine) complexes, the cobalt-(acetate)complexes, the cobalt-(carbonyl) complexes, the chlorides of cobalt ormanganese and of manganese sulfate. Likewise, zinc compounds may be usedto prevent corrosion of the washed utensils.

Special ingredients that may be used in the inventive agents for machinedishwashing or for cleaning hard surfaces include substances to preventre-soiling of surfaces and/or to facilitate the release of dirt after asingle use (“soil-release compounds”).

The soil-release compounds that may be used include all those compoundsknown in the state of the art. Especially suitable examples includecationic polymers, e.g., hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium guar, copolymersof aminoethyl methacrylate and acrylamide as well as copolymers ofdimethyldiallylammonium chloride and acrylamide, polymers with iminogroups, cationic cellulose derivatives, cationic homopolymers and/orcopolymers (monomer units: quaternated ammonium alkyl methacrylategroups).

The cationic polymers are selected from cationic polymers of copolymersof monomers such as trialkylammonium alkyl (meth)acrylate and/oracrylamide; dialkyldiallyldiammonium salts; polymer-like reactionproducts of ethers or esters of polysaccharides with ammonium sidegroups, in particular, guar derivatives, cellulose derivatives andstarch derivatives; polyadducts of ethylene oxide with ammonium groups;quaternary ethyleneimine polymers and polyesters and polyamides withquaternary side groups as soil-release compounds. Natural polyuronicacids and related substances as well as polyampholytes and hydrophobizedpolyamopholytes and/or mixtures of these substances are also used.

This list of ingredients of fabric softeners and detergents and cleaningagents is by no means comprehensive but instead merely gives the mostessential typical ingredients of such agents. In particular, inasmuch asthey are liquid or gel preparations, these agents may also containorganic solvents. These are monovalent or polyvalent alcohols with 1 to4 carbon atoms. Non-limiting alcohols in such agents include ethanol,1,2-propanediol, glycerol as well as mixtures of these alcohols. Innon-limiting embodiments, such agents contain 2 to 12 wt.-% of suchalcohols, based on the total weight of the composition.

Essentially the agents may have different physical states. In anotherembodiment, the fabric softeners, detergents or cleaning agents areliquid or gel agents, in particular, liquid detergents or liquiddishwashing detergents or cleaning gels, and they may, in particular,also be cleaning agents in the form of gels for cleaning toilets.

These are intrinsically viscous cleaning agents in the form of gels witha viscosity of 30,000 to 150,000 mPas, containing as the gelatinizingagent a polysaccharide or a fatty alcohol alkoxylate as described above,as the optional emulsifier and wetting-active component a C₈₋₁₀ alkylpolyglycoside or C₁₂₋₁₄ alkyl polyglycoside and perfume oil. Fattyalcohol ether sulfates (FAEOS) and fatty alcohol sulfates (FAS) may alsobe present as additional co-surfactants. The ratio of APG toco-surfactant is then usually greater than 1, such as between 50:1 and1:1, alternatively between 10:1 and 1.5 to 1 or between 5:1 and 1.8:1.In particular these are stable, shear-diluting cleaning agents in theform of a gel containing a polysaccharide, a surfactant system andperfume components. Alternatively, they can contain a polysaccharide,such as a xanthan gum, in amounts between 1 and 5 wt.-%, such as from 1to 5 wt.-%, alternatively from 1.5 to 3.5 wt.-% or from 1.8 to 3 wt.-%optionally they contain as a component of the surfactant system a C₈₋₂₂alkyl polyglycoside in amounts between 3 and 25 wt.-%, such as from 4and 20 wt.-%, alternatively from 5 and 15 wt.-% or from 5 and 12 wt.-%and they contain the perfume component(s) up to 15 wt.-%, such as from 2to 12 wt.-%, alternatively from 3 to 8 wt.-%, and they optionallycontain other ingredients such as lime-dissolving agents, dyes,microbicidal agents (e.g., isothiazoline mixtures, sodium benzoate orsalicylic acid), pearlescent agents, stabilizers, cleaning enhancers andodor absorbers, and the agents have a viscosity of 30,000 to 150,000mPas, measured with a Brookfield rotary viscometer, model RVT with aHelipath device and TA spindle at 1 rpm and 23° C.

If necessary, water-soluble and water-insoluble builders may also bepresent in gels. Water-soluble builders are then used because theyusually have less tendency to form insoluble residues on hard surfaces.The usual builders which may be present include the low-molecularpolycarboxylic acids and their salts, the homopolymeric and copolymericpolycarboxylic acids and their salts, citric acid and its salts,carbonates, phosphates and silicates. The water-insoluble buildersinclude the zeolite, which may also be used as well as the mixtures ofthe aforementioned builder substances. The group of citrates isespecially possible. Other typical cleaning agents which may contain theinventive compounds or mixtures include liquid or gel cleaners for hardsurfaces, in particular, all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, floor andbathroom cleaners as well as special embodiments of such cleaners, whichinclude acidic or alkaline forms of all-purpose cleaners as well asglass cleaners with an anti-rain effect. These liquid cleaning agentsmay also be present in one or more phases. In an embodiment, thecleaners have two different phases.

“Cleaner” in the broadest sense is a term for formulations (e.g.containing a surfactant) with a very wide area of application and a verydifferent composition, depending on the application. The most importantmarket segments are household cleaners, industrial (technical) cleanersand institutional cleaners. Depending on the pH, a distinction is madebetween alkaline, neutral and acidic cleaners; according to the form inwhich it is offered, a distinction is made between liquid and solidcleaners (also in tablet form). These cleaners for hard surfaces yieldan optimal profile of use (in contrast with dishwashing agents, whichare also classified in the product group of cleaners) both in aconcentrated state and in dilute aqueous solution when combined withmechanical energy. Low-temperature cleaners manifest their effectwithout elevated temperature. Surfactants and/or alkali carriers,alternatively acids, optionally also solvents such as glycol ethers andlower alcohols can provide for the cleaning effect. In general, theformulations also contain builders and, depending on the type ofcleaner, bleaching agents, enzymes, microbicidal or disinfectingadditives as well as perfume oils and dyes. Cleaners may also beformulated as microemulsions. The success of cleaning depends to a greatextent on the type of dirt-which may also vary greatly geographically-and the properties of the surfaces to be cleaned.

Household cleaners may be formulated as universal cleaners or as specialcleaners for ceramics, tiles, windows, plastics, (carpet) floors,cook-tops, baking ovens, microwave ovens, plumbing cleaners or bathroomor toilet cleaners. Pipe cleaners are adjusted to be alkaline andconsist of, for example, solid sodium hydroxide and aluminum powderwhich, when dissolved, release hydrogen, which ensures a correspondingturbulence in the pipe segments to be cleared. In addition to containingsurfactant and builder, sanitary cleaners mainly contain activeingredients to reduce the microbe count, whereby sodium hypochlorite,which was used previously, has been partially replaced by hydrogenperoxide or other peracid compounds. Toilet cleaners are mainly acidicbut may sometimes also be adjusted to be alkaline, whereby in the formercase, the phosphoric acid originally used and sodium bisulfate arelargely replaced by organic acids, mainly citric acid. Special cleanersalso include automotive cleaners, automobile windshield cleaners, wheelrim cleaners, engine cleaners and paint application equipment cleanersin the do-it-yourself area.

In addition to the components already mentioned, the inventive agentsmay also contain other additives and aids, such as those customary insuch agents. These include, in particular, polymers, soil-release activeingredients, solvents (e.g., ethanol, isopropanol, glycol ether),solubilizers, hydrotropes (e.g., cumenesulfonate, octyl sulfate, butylglucoside, butyl glycol), cleaning enhancers, viscosity regulators(e.g., synthetic polymers, such as polysaccharides, polyacrylates,naturally occurring polymers and their derivatives such as xanthan gum,other polysaccharides and/or gelatins), pH regulators (e.g., citricacid, alkanolamines or NaOH), disinfectants, antistatics, preservatives,bleach systems, enzymes, dyes and opacifiers or skin protectants.

The amount of such additives is usually no more than 12 wt.-% in thecompositions. The lower limit depends on the type of additive and may beup to 0.001 wt.-% or less in the case of dyes. The amount of auxiliariesis between 0.01 and 7 wt.-%, in particular, 0.1 and 4 wt.-%.

The aforementioned agents may also contain binders, which may be usedalone or in mixture with other binders. Non-limiting binders includepolyethylene glycols, 1,2-polypropylene glycols and modifiedpolyethylene glycols and polypropylene glycols. The modifiedpolyalkylene glycols include, in particular, the sulfates and/ordisulfates of polyethylene glycols or polypropylene glycols with arelative molecular weight between 600 and 12,000 g/mol and, inparticular, between 1,000 and 4,000 g/mol. Another group consists ofmonosuccinates and/or disuccinates of polyalkylene glycols, which inturn have relative molecular weights between 600 and 6,000 g/mol, suchas between 1,000 and 4,000 g/mol.

and 6,000 g/mol, such as between 1,000 and 4,000 g/mol.

Within the present embodiments, polyethylene glycols include polymersfor whose production C₃-C₅ glycols as well as glycerol and mixtures ofthese are used as initiator molecules in addition to ethylene glycol.Furthermore, ethoxylated derivatives such as trimethylolpropane with 5to 30 ethylene oxides (EO) are also included. The polyethylene glycolsthat are for use may have a linear or branched structure, but linearpolyethylene glycols are particularly possible. The polyethylene glycolsinclude, in particular, those with relative molecular weights between2,000 and 12,000 g/mol, advantageously 4,000 g/mol, whereby polyethyleneglycols with number average molecular weights of less than 3,500 g/moland greater than 5,000 g/mol may be used, in particular, in combinationwith polyethylene glycols with a relative molecular weight of 4,000g/mol, and such combinations advantageously have more than 50 wt.-%,based on the total amount of polyethylene glycols, polyethylene glycolswith a relative molecular weight between 3,500 and 5,000 g/mol. However,polyethylene glycols which are in a liquid state at room temperature anda pressure of 1 bar may also be used as binders; this refers mainly topolyethylene glycol with a relative molecular weight of 200, 400 and600. However, these essentially liquid polyethylene glycols should beused only in a mixture with at least one other binder, whereby thismixture must again meet the inventive requirements, i.e., must have amelting point and/or a softening point at least higher than 45° C.

Low-molecular polyvinylpyrrolidones and derivatives of these withrelative molecular weights up to max. 30,000 are also suitable asbinders. Relative molecular weight ranges between 3,000 and 30,000 arepossible, e.g., 10,000. Polyvinylpyrrolidones are not used as exclusivebinders but instead are used in combination with others, in particular,in combination with polyethylene glycols.

Other suitable binders have proven to be raw materials, said rawmaterials having detergent-active or cleaning-active properties, i.e.,for example, nonionic surfactants with a melting point of at least 45°C. or mixtures of nonionic surfactants and other binders. The nonionicsurfactants include alkoxylated fatty alcohols or oxo alcohols, inparticular, C₁₂₋₁₈ alcohols. Degrees of alkoxylation, in particular,degrees of ethoxylation, of 8 to 80 AO on the average, in particular,ethylene oxide (EO) per mol alcohol and mixtures of these have proven tobe especially suitable. Especially fatty alcohols with an average of 12to 35 EO, in particular, with an average of 20 to 25 EO haveadvantageous binder properties. If necessary, ethoxylated alcohols withan average of a few EO units per mol alcohol may also be present inbinder mixtures, e.g., tallow fatty alcohol with 14 EO. However, it ispossible to use these relatively low ethoxylated alcohols only inmixture with higher ethoxylated alcohols. The content of theserelatively low ethoxylated alcohols in the binder, advantageously,amounts to less than 50 wt.-%, in particular, less than 40.-wt.-%, basedon the total amount of binder. Nonionic surfactants that are generallyused, especially in detergents or cleaning agents, such as C₁₂₋₁₈alcohols with an average of 3 to 7 EO, which are liquid at roomtemperature, are present in the binder mixtures only in amounts of lessthan 2 wt.-%.

It is likewise possible for conventional anionic surfactants that areused in detergents or cleaning agents or their precursors, the anionicsurfactant acids, to be present in the binder mixture. Other nonionicsurfactants that are suitable as binders include the fatty acid methylester ethoxylates, which do not tend to gel, in particular those with anaverage of 10 to 25 EO (for a more detailed description of thissubstance group, see below). Representatives of this substance groupinclude primarily the methyl esters based on C₁₆₋₁₈ fatty acids, e.g.,hardened bovine tallow methyl esters with an average of 12 EO or with anaverage of 20 Ea In a non-limiting embodiment, a mixture containingC₁₂₋₁₈ fatty alcohol, based on coconut or tallow with an average of 20EO, and polyethylene glycol with a relative molecular weight of 400 to4,000 g/mol is used as the binder. In another embodiment, a mixturecontaining mainly methyl esters based primarily on C₁₆₋₁₈ fatty acidsand with an average of 10 to 25 EO, in particular, hardened bovinetallow methyl esters with an average of 12 EO or an average of 20 EO,and a C₁₂₋₁₈ fatty alcohol based on coconut or tallow with an average of20 EO and/or polyethylene glycol with a relative molecular weight of 400to 4,000 g/mol, is used as the binder.

Binders based either only on polyethylene glycols with a relativemolecular weight of 4,000 or on a mixture of C₁₂₋₁₈ fatty alcohol basedon coconut or tallow with an average of 20 EO and one of the fatty acidmethyl ester ethoxylates described above or on a mixture of C₁₂₋₁₈ fattyalcohol based on coconut or tallow with an average of 20 EO, one of thefatty acid methyl ester ethoxylates described above and a polyethyleneglycol, in particular, with a relative molecular weight of 4,000 g/mol,have proven to be especially advantageous embodiments.

The inventive agents may contain, e.g., carbonate/citric acid systems assuitable and well-known disintegration aids, but other organic acids mayalso be used. Swelling disintegration aids include, for example,synthetic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or naturalpolymers and/or modified natural substances such as cellulose and starchand their derivatives, alginate or casein derivatives.

Disintegrants based on cellulose are used as the disintegrants, so thatmolded bodies of detergent and cleaning agent will contain such adisintegrant based on cellulose in amounts of 0.5 to 10 wt.-%, such as 3to 7 wt.-% and in particular 4 to 6 wt.-%. Pure cellulose has the formalempirical composition (C₆H₁₀O₅) and, considered formally, is aβ-1,4-polyacetal of cellobiose, which in turn is made up of twomolecules of glucose. Suitable celluloses consist of approx. 500 to5,000 glucose units and consequently have a number average molecularweight of 50,000 to 500,000 g/mol. Cellulose derivatives, which are alsoavailable from cellulose by polymer-like reactions, may be used asdisintegrants based on cellulose. Such chemically modified cellulosescomprise, for example, products of esterifications and/oretherifications in which hydroxyhydrogen atoms have been substituted.However, celluloses in which the hydroxyl groups have been replaced byfunctional groups that are not bound by an oxygen atom may also be usedas cellulose derivatives. The group of cellulose derivatives includes,for example, alkali celluloses, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), celluloseesters and ethers as well as aminocelluloses. The aforementionedcellulose derivatives are not used alone as disintegrants based oncellulose but instead are used in mixture with cellulose. The cellulosederivative content of these mixtures is less than 50 wt.-%, such as lessthan 20 wt.-%, based on the disintegrant based on cellulose. Purecellulose free of cellulose derivatives is especially used as thedisintegrant based on cellulose.

The cellulose that is used as the disintegration aid is not used infinely divided form but instead is converted to a coarser form, e.g.,granular or compacted, before being added to the premixes to be pressed.

The particle size of such disintegrants is usually greater than 200 μm,such as at least 90 wt.-% being between 300 and 1,600 μm, and inparticular at least 90 wt.-% being between 400 and 1,200 μm.

Microcrystalline cellulose may be used as another disintegrant based oncellulose or as an ingredient of these components. This microcrystallinecellulose is obtained by partial hydrolysis of celluloses under suchconditions that attack only the amorphous regions (approx. 30% of thetotal cellulose mass) of the celluloses and completely dissolve them,but leave the crystalline regions (approx. 70%) undamaged. Subsequentdeaggregation of the microfine celluloses obtained by hydrolysis yieldsmicrocrystalline celluloses, which have primary particle sizes ofapprox. 5 μm and can be compacted to granules with an average particlesize of 200 μm, for example.

In a variant, the detergents and cleaning agents, in particular, in theform of molded bodies such as tablets, contain 0.5 to 10 wt.-%, such as3 to 7 wt.-% and, in particular, 4 to 6 wt.-% of one or moredisintegration aids, each based on the weight of the molded body.

Another subject matter is cosmetics (cosmetic agents) for cosmetic,non-therapeutic treatment of hair or skin, containing the inventivecompounds or mixtures. These cosmetic (cosmetic agents) contain theinventive compounds or mixtures in amounts of 0.001 to 10 wt.-%, such asfrom 0.01 to 5 wt.-%, alternatively 0.02 to 3 wt.-% or in amounts of0.05 to 2 wt.-%, each based on the total weight of the composition.

The total amount of scent substances in the cosmetic agents, however, isbetween 0.01 and 5 wt.-%, such as between 0.1 and 3 wt.-% or between 0.5and 2 wt.-%, based on the total amount of the agent. Mixtures of variousscent substances (from the various classes of scent substances mentionedabove) which jointly produce an appealing scent note are used.

In an embodiment, the cosmetic agents are aqueous preparations thatcontain surfactant active ingredients and are suitable, in particular,for treatment of keratin fibers, in particular human hair, or forcosmetic (non-therapeutic) treatment of skin.

The hair treatment agents mentioned above include, in particular, agentsfor treatment of human head hair. The most conventional agents of thiscategory can be divided into shampoo detergents, hair care agents, hairsetting and permanent hair waving agents as well as hair dyes anddepilatories. The agents may contain surfactant active ingredients andare in particular shampoos and treatment preparations. Such a hairwashing agent or shampoo consist of 10 to 20 recipe ingredients, inindividual cases up to 30 recipe ingredients. These aqueous preparationsare usually in liquid form to pasty form.

The inventive cosmetics (cosmetic agents) contain other ingredients thatare conventional for these agents. The inventive cosmetic agents containsurfactant active ingredients or detergent-active ingredients asadditional ingredients. Fatty alcohol polyglycol ether sulfates (ethersulfates, alkyl ether sulfates) are used here, partially in combinationwith other surfactants, usually anionics. In addition to the alkyl ethersulfates, agents may additionally contain other surfactants such asalkyl sulfates, alkyl ether carboxylates, such as with degrees ofethoxylation of 4 to 10, as well as surfactant protein-fatty acidcondensates. Protein-abitic acid condensate in particular should bementioned. Sulfosuccinic acid esters, amidopropyl-betaines,amphoacetates and amphodiacetates as well as alkyl polyglycosides aresurfactants that are used in shampoos.

Another group of ingredients is summarized by the term auxiliarysubstances and is extremely varied: for example, nonionic surfactantadditives such as ethoxylated sorbitan esters or protein hydrolysatesincrease the compatibility and/or have an irritation-reducing effect,e.g., in baby shampoo; e.g., natural oils or synthetic fatty acid estersserve as moisturizing agents to prevent excessive removal of oil inshampooing; humectants include glycerol, sorbitol, propylene glycol (seepropanediols), polyethylene glycols and other polyols. To improve wetcombability and to reduce electrostatic charge buildup on the hair afterdrying, cationic surfactants, e.g., quaternary ammonium compounds, maybe added to the shampoo. For a brilliant color appearance, dyes and/orpearlescent pigments may be added. To adjust the desired viscosity,thickeners of various substance classes may be used, and pH stability isachieved by buffers based on citrate, lactate or phosphate, for example.To ensure adequate stability and storage life, preservatives such as4-hydroxybenzoic acid ester may be added; oxidation-sensitiveingredients can be protected by adding antioxidants such as ascorbicacid, butylmethoxyphenol or tocopherol.

Another group of ingredients include special active ingredients forspecial shampoos, e.g., oils, herbal extracts, proteins, vitamins andlecithins in shampoos for hair that becomes oily rapidly, for especiallydry hair, stressed or damaged hair. Active ingredients in shampoos forcontrolling dandruff usually have a broad growth-inhibiting effectagainst fungi and bacteria. The fungistatic properties of pyrithionesalts, in particular, have been shown to be the cause of the goodantidandruff effect. To achieve a pleasant scent note, the shampoos cancontain perfume oils. All conventional scent substances allowed for usein shampoo may also be used.

Hair care agents have the goal of preserving the natural condition offreshly washed hair as long as possible and restoring it if there isdamage. Features characterizing this natural condition include a silkysheen, low porosity, a resilient and yet soft fullness and a pleasantsmooth feel. An important prerequisite for this is a clean scalp, freeof dandruff and without excessive oiliness. The hair care agents todayinclude a variety of different products, the most importantrepresentatives of which are known as pretreatment agents, hair water,styling aids, hair rinses and hair repair kits and whose composition,like that of the shampoos, is broken down roughly into basic substances,auxiliary substances and special active ingredients.

The basic substances include fatty alcohols, especially cetyl alcohol(1-hexadecanol) and stearyl alcohol (1-octadecanol), waxes such asbeeswax, wool wax (lanolin), synthetic waxes, paraffins, petrolatum,paraffin oil and as solvents mainly ethanol, 2-propanol and water.Additives include emulsifiers, thickeners, preservatives, antioxidants,coloring agents and perfume oils. The most important group of specialactive ingredients in hair care agents today are the quaternary ammoniumcompounds. A distinction is made between monomeric (e.g.,alkyltrimethylammonium halide with mainly the lauryl, cetyl or stearylgroup as the alkyl radical) and polymeric quaternary ammonium compounds(e.g., quaternary cellulose ether derivatives orpoly(N,N-dimethyl-3,4-methylenepyrrolidinium chloride)). Their effect inhair care agents is based on the fact that the positive charge of thenitrogen atoms of this compound can be added to the negative charges ofthe keratin of hair; damaged hair contains more negatively charged acidgroups because of its higher cysteic acid content and may therefore takeup more quaternary ammonium compounds. Because of their cationiccharacter, these compounds are also referred to as “cationic treatmentsubstances” which have a smoothing effect on hair, improve combability,reduce electrostatic charge buildup, and improve the feel and sheen. Thepolymeric quaternary ammonium compounds adhere to hair so well thattheir effect can be detected even after several washings. Organic acidssuch as citric acid, tartaric acid or lactic acid are often used toadjust an acid medium. The water-soluble protein hydrolysates areabsorbed well by the keratin of hair because of their close chemicalrelationship.

The largest group of special active ingredients in hair care agentscomprise various plant extracts and plant oils.

These extracts are usually produced by extraction of the entire plant.However, in individual cases it may also be possible to prepare theextracts exclusively from the flowers and/or leaves of the plant.

With regard to the plant extracts, reference is made in particular tothe extracts listed in the table beginning on page 44 of the thirdedition of Leitfaden zur Inhaltsstoffdeklaration kosmetischer Mittel[Guideline for Declaration of Ingredients of Cosmetic Agents], publishedby the Industrial Association of Body Care and Detergents (IKW),Frankfurt.

According to non-limiting embodiments, the extracts include especiallythose from green tea, oak bark, stinging nettle, witch hazel, hops,henna, chamomile, burdock root, horsetail, hawthorn, linden blossoms,almond, aloe vera, spruce needle, horse chestnut, sandalwood, juniperberry, coconut, mango, apricot, lemon, wheat, kiwi, melon, orange,grapefruit, sage, rosemary, birch, mallow, lady's smock, wild thyme,yarrow, thyme, lemon balm, restharrow, coltsfoot, marshmallow, meristem,ginseng and ginger root. Extracts of green tea, oak bark, stingingnettle, witch hazel, hops, chamomile, burdock root, horsetail, lindenblossom, almond, aloe vera, coconut, mango, apricot, lemon, wheat, kiwi,melon, orange, grapefruit, sage, rosemary, birch, lady's smock, wildthyme, yarrow, restharrow, ginseng and ginger root are usable.

As extraction agents for producing the aforementioned plant extracts,water, alcohols and mixtures thereof may be used. Of the alcohols, lowalcohols such as ethanol and isopropanol are used, but in particular,polyvalent alcohols such as ethylene glycol and propylene glycol arepreferred as the sole extraction agent as well as in mixture with water.Plant extracts based on water/propylene glycol in a ratio of 1:10 to10:1 have proven to be especially suitable.

The plant extracts may be used in both pure and diluted form. If theyare used in diluted form, they usually contain approx. 2 to 80 wt.-%active substance and as a solvent the extraction agent or extractionagent mixture used in extracting them.

In addition, it may be possible to use mixtures of several plantextracts, in particular, to different plant extracts in the inventiveagents.

To avoid moisturizing too rapidly, some hair waters contain substancessuch as certain tar ingredients, cysteic acid derivatives orglycyrrhizin; the intended reduction in sebaceous gland production hasalso not been proven conclusively. However, the efficacy of antidandruffagents has been satisfactorily proven. They are therefore used in thecorresponding hair waters and similar hair care agents.

The aqueous preparations for treatment of skin include, in particular,preparations for care of human skin. This treatment begins with cleaningfor the soaps which are used primarily. A distinction is made herebetween solid soap, usually in pieces, and liquid soap. Accordingly, thecosmetic agents in a non-limiting embodiment are in the form of moldedbodies containing surfactant ingredients. In a non-limiting embodiment,the most important ingredients of such molded bodies are the alkalisalts of the fatty acids of natural oils and fats, such as with chainsof 12-18 carbon atoms. Since lauric acid soaps form suds especiallywell, the lauric acid-rich coconut and palm kernel oils are rawmaterials for production of fine soaps. The sodium salts of fatty acidmixture are solid, whereas the potassium salts are soft and pasty. Forsaponification, the dilute sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxidesolution is added to the fat raw materials in a stoichiometric ratio, sothat the finished soap contains a lye excess of max. 0.05%. In manycases, soaps today are no longer prepared directly from fats but insteadare prepared from the fatty acids obtained by splitting off fat. Theusual soap additives include fatty acids, fatty alcohols, lanolin,lecithin, vegetable oils, partial glycerides and similar fat-likesubstances for moisturizing cleaned skin, antioxidants such as ascorbylpalmitate or tocopherol to prevent autoxidation of soap (rancidity),complexing agents such as nitrilotriacetate to bind traces of heavymetals which could act as catalysts in autoxidative spoilage, perfumeoils to achieve the desired scent notes, coloring agents to color thepieces of soap and special additives, if necessary.

Liquid soaps are based on potassium salts of natural fatty acids as wellas on synthetic anionic surfactants. They contain fewer detergent-activesubstances in aqueous solution than do solid soaps and have the usualadditives, if necessary with viscosity-regulating components such aspearlescent additives. Because of their convenient and hygienic use fromdispensers, they are used in public restrooms and the like. Washinglotions for especially sensitive skin are based on mild syntheticsurfactants with additives of skin care substances, adjusted to aneutral pH or weakly acidic (pH 5.5).

There are a number of other preparations for cleaning and care of mainlythe skin of the face such as face lotion, cleaning lotions, milks,creams, pastes; face packs are used for cleaning but primarily forrefreshing and care of facial skin. Face lotions are usually aqueousalcoholic solutions with small amounts of surfactant and other skin caresubstances. Cleaning lotions, milk, creams and pastes are usually basedon O/W emulsions with a relatively low amount of fat components withcleaning and care additives. Scruffing and peeling preparations containmild keratolytic substances for removing the top horny layers of deadskin, in part with abrasive powder as additives.

Agents for cleaning treatment of uncleaned skin also further containantibacterial and anti-inflammatory substances because the accumulationsof sebum in comedones (pimples) constitute a culture medium forbacterial infections and tend to lead to inflammation. The broad rangeof different skin cleaning products that are available varies incomposition and content of various active ingredients, coordinated withthe various types of skin and for special treatment goals.

The bath additives offered for cleaning skin, in the bathtub or showerhave been widely used. Bath salts and bath tablets should soften, colorand perfume the bath water and usually do not contain anydetergent-active substances. By softening the bath water, they promotethe cleaning power of soaps but should primarily have a refreshingeffect and enhance the bath experience. Bubble baths have a greaterimportance. With a larger amount of moisturizing and skin caresubstances, we also speak of cream baths.

The inventive cosmetics (cosmetic agents) may be present in differentpreparation forms. The most important are skin creams, skin lotions,skin oils and skin gels. The creams and lotions are based on emulsionsin O/W (oil-in-water) form or W/O (water-in-oil) form. The mainingredients of the oil and/or fat or lipid phase preferably includefatty alcohols, fatty acids, fatty acid esters, waxes, petrolatum,paraffins and other fat and oil components mainly of a natural origin.In addition to water, the aqueous phase contains moisture-regulating andmoisture-preserving substances as the main skin care active ingredientsplus agents to regulate consistency and/or viscosity. Additionaladditives such as preservatives, antioxidants, complexing agents,perfume oils, coloring agents as well as special active ingredients areadded to one of the aforementioned phases, depending on their solubilityand stability properties. The choice of the emulsifier system isessential for the emulsion type and its properties. It can be selectedaccording to the HLB system.

In addition, the skin care agents may contain other special activeingredients, e.g., milk protein products, egg yolk, lecithins, lipoids,phosphatides, cereal seed oils, vitamins, especially vitamin F andbiotin, which was previously referred to as the skin vitamin (vitamin H)as well as hormone-free placenta extracts.

Skin oils are some of the oldest forms of skin care products and arestill in use today. They are based on nondrying vegetable oils such asalmond oil or olive oil with additives of natural vitamin oils such aswheat germ oil or avocado oil and oil-based plant extracts from St.John's wort, chamomile, etc.

Skin gels are semisolid transparent products that are stabilized throughappropriate gelatinizing agents. A distinction is made between oleogels(anhydrous), hydrogels (oil free) and oil/water gels. The choice of typewill depend on the desired intended application. The oil/water gels havehigh emulsifier contents and have certain advantages in comparison withemulsions from the standpoint of both aesthetics and applications.

Other cosmetic agents include agents for influencing body odor.Deodorizing agents are intended here, in particular. Such deodorants maymask, remove or destroy odors. Unpleasant body odors are formed frombacterial decomposition of perspiration, in particular, in the moist,warm axillary cavities, where microorganisms find good conditions forsurvival. Accordingly, the most important ingredients of deodorants aremicrobistatic substances. In particular, such microbistatic substancesthat have a largely selective efficacy with respect to the bacteriaresponsible for body odor are possible. Non-limitingactive ingredients,however, have only a bacteriostatic effect and by no means completelykill off the bacterial flora. The microbistatic agents may in generalinclude all suitable preservatives with a specific action againstgram-positive bacteria. For example, these include Irgasan DP 300(trichlosan, 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether), chlorhexidine(1,1′-hexamethylenebis(5-(4′-chlorophenyl)biguanide) as well as3,4,4′-trichlorocarbanilide. Quaternary ammonium compounds are alsosuitable in principle. Because of their high antimicrobial efficacy, allthese substances are used only in low concentrations of 0.1 to 0.3wt.-%. In addition, numerous perfumes also have antimicrobialproperties. Accordingly, such perfumes having antimicrobial propertiesare used in deodorants. Farnesol and phenoxyethanol may be mentionedhere. It is therefore possible, if the inventive deodorants contain suchperfumes which have their own bacteriostatic effect. Another group ofimportant ingredients of deodorants is the enzyme inhibitors, whichinhibit the decomposition of perspiration through enzymes such as citricacid triethyl ester or zinc glycinate. Essential ingredients ofdeodorants also include the antioxidants, which should prevent oxidationof the components of perspiration.

The inventive compounds and agents under ambient conditions have a goodhydrolytic cleavability. They also have good stability in storage in analkaline environment, such as that encountered in detergents anddishwashing agents, for example.

In a non-limiting embodiment, at least one compound of formula (I) orthe mixture of compounds of formulae (I) and (II) release scent aldehydeas scent. In a further embodiment these compounds are used with furtherscents, different from compounds of formulas (I) and (II).

The present embodiments further pertain to detergent, cleaning, fabricsoftener or cosmetic composition comprising at least one compoundaccording to embodiment 1 or a mixture according to embodiment 2. In anon-limiting embodiment the at least one compound according toembodiment 1 or the mixture according to embodiment 2 is present in0.000001 to 5 wt.-%, such as 0.00001 to 2 wt.-%, alternatively 0.0001 to1 wt.-%, or in 0.0001 to 0.1 wt.-%, based on the total weight of thecomposition. In another embodiment the composition is solid, liquid or agel or in the form of a dosage unit comprising a mixture thereof.Furthermore, it is possible that the detergent or cleaning compositionis a powder, granule, tablet or tab or wherein the liquid is a solution,emulsion or dispersion or a form where solid and liquid, or solid andgel or liquid and gel parts are present in one dosage unit, for examplein a pouch, the cleaning composition is liquid or gel and suitable forhard surfaces, such sa it is a multi purpose cleaner, or comprising analkaline or acidic composition, a glass cleaner, such as havinganti-rain properties, or a floor or bathroom cleaner.

In an alternative embodiment the cosmetic composition is an aqueouscosmetic composition comprising surfactants and is in particularsuitable for cosmetically, non-therapeutic, treating keratin fibers orskin. In a non-limiting embodiment, this cosmetic composition changesthe body odor of a being, in particular it is a deodorant composition.

Moreover, a method for prolonging the scent of detergent, cleaning,fabric softener or cosmetic compositions or of surfaces which have beentreated with these compositions is also disclosed, in particular forhard or textile surfaces, wherein the detergent, cleaning, fabricsoftener or cosmetic composition is used. In a non-limiting embodimentthe composition is a detergent composition and/or the surface which hasbeen treated with is a textile, such as selected from blended fabric,cotton, or polyester.

EXAMPLES Synthesis of 1-aza-3,7-d ioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octanes

AA1: General operating procedure for synthesis of1-aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octanes, amino alcohol/aldehyde ratio 1:2.

The amino alcohol and the aldehyde were combined in a 1:2 molar ratio intoluene as the solvent under nitrogen atmosphere. The reaction mixturewas heated to 120° C., whereupon the amino alcohol slowly goes intosolution. The mixture was refluxed using a water separator for 7 hours.The resulting product was obtained by removing the solvent by rotatingvacuum distillation and drying in high vacuum.

AA2: General operating procedure for synthesis of1-aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octanes, amino alcohol/aldehyde ratio 1:2in situ.

The amino alcohol was combined with the aldehyde in a 1:2 molar ratiounder nitrogen atmosphere. The reaction mixture was heated to 100-140°C., whereupon the reactants go into solution slowly or melt. Thereaction mixture is heated until no more reaction water can be distilledoff. The transparent slightly yellowish solution was dried in a highvacuum.

Example 1: Synthesis of2,8-bis(2-phenylpropyl)-5-methyl-3.7-dioxa-1-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octane

3-Phenylbutanal (CAS 16251-77-7) was combined with2-Amino-2-methyl-1,3-propandiol (CAS 115-69-5) in a 2:1 molar ratiounder nitrogen atmosphere. The mixture was heated to 100° C.-110° C.,reaction water is removed using a water separator. The reaction mixtureis heated until no more reaction water can be distilled off, supportedby vacuum if necessary. A light yellow product is obtained (yield 93%).

Comparative Example 1

Instead of 3-methyl-3-phenylpropanal the aldehyde llial was used. Thesynthesis was carried out as described for the inventive example above.

Olfactory Test

The aldehydes trifernal and llial in free form as well as the compoundof Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were tested for their performanceas follows. The afore-mentioned compounds were mixed into a standardsolid powder detergent (65 g dose (Persil)) so that the initial scentintensity of the free compounds trifernal and filial on the one hand andthe scent intensity of the respective oxazolidine precursors was aboutthe same. The scent intensity was evaluated by four trained perfumers ona scale of 0 to 5, where 5 is the highest score and 0 stands for noperception of scent. The scent was evaluated on textiles after washing3.5 kg laundry in a standard washing machine (standard program at 40°C.). Three different types of laundry were used, namely blended fabric,cotton and polyester. The scent was evaluated on the laundry being inwet state directly after washing, in dry state immediately after thelaundry had dried and 7 days after the washing/drying. The assessmentwas performed 5 times, respectively and the results are displayed asaverage values. The results are displayed in Table 1 below.

Definition of the Scale

5 very strong

4 strong

3 pleasant

2 perceptible

1 not perceptible

TABLE 1 Results of the olfactory test. Wet Wet Wet Dry Dry Dry After 7After 7 After 7 Compound (1) (2) (3) (1) (2) (3) days (1) days (2) days(3) Example 1 5.00 5.00 4.00 4.00 5.00 3.00 4.67 5.0 3.67 Trifernal 1.501.50 1.50 1.00 1.00 1.00 3.0 2.67 2.83 Comparative 2.13 2.38 2.38 2.002.50 2.50 2.75 3.25 3.00 Example 1 Lilial 2.13 2.50 2.25 2.00 2.75 2.252.75 3.00 3.00 (1) = blended fabric, (2) = cotton, (3) = polyester Scentimpression of the dosing units before washing Trifernal = 5.0; Example 1= 2.00; Lilial = 3.4; Comparative Example 1 = 2.2.

As can be seen by the results shown in Table 1, the compounds of example1 show an improved long-lasting scent impression compared to thecompounds of comparative example 1.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A composition comprising a compound basedon 1-Aza-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane substituted with 2-phenylpropylrepresented by formula (I)

wherein R^(a) is hydrogen or a C₁₋₂₀ alkyl; the C₁₋₂₀ alkyl isoptionally substituted with hydroxyl groups or amine groups; up to 8—CH₂— groups of the C₁₋₂₀ alkyl are substituted by —O— groups; and theup to 8 —CH₂— groups are not adjacent to each other; and R^(b) and R^(c)are independently selected from hydrogen or C₁₋₆ alkyl; wherein thecomposition is a detergent, fabric softener, cosmetic composition, orcombinations thereof.
 2. The composition of claim 1, further comprisingat least one compound of formula (II)

wherein R^(a) is hydrogen or a C₁₋₂₀ alkyl; the C₁₋₂₀ alkyl isoptionally substituted with hydroxyl groups or amine groups; up to 8—CH₂— groups of the C₁₋₂₀ alkyl are substituted by —O— groups; and theup to 8 —CH₂— groups are not adjacent to each other; and R^(b) and R^(c)are independently selected from hydrogen or C₁₋₆ alkyl; wherein thecomposition is a detergent, fabric softener, cosmetic composition, orcombinations thereof.
 3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the atleast one compound represented by formula I is present in an amountranging from 0.000001 to 5 wt. %.
 4. The composition of claim 1, whereinthe composition is in the form of a solid, a liquid, a gel dosage unit,and combinations thereof.
 5. The composition according to claim 4,wherein the solid is a powder, granule, tablet, or tab, wherein theliquid is a solution, emulsion, or dispersion, or wherein a dosage formwhere solid and liquid or solid and gel or liquid and gel parts arepresent in one dosage unit.
 6. The composition of claim 1, wherein thecomposition is an aqueous cosmetic composition comprising one or moresurfactants.
 7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is adeodorant composition.
 8. The composition of claim 1, wherein thecompound represented by formula I releases the fragrance compound offormula (IV):


9. The composition of claim 1, further comprising one or more additionalfragrance compounds different from that of the compound of formula (I).10. The composition of claim 1, wherein R^(a) of the compound of formula(I) is a C₁₋₆ alkyl.
 11. The composition of claim 1, wherein R^(a) ofthe compound of formula (I) is methyl.
 12. The composition of claim 1,wherein R^(a) of the compound of formula (I) is hydrogen.
 13. Thecomposition of claim 1, wherein R^(b) and R^(c) of the compound offormula (I) are independently selected from hydrogen or methyl.
 14. Thecomposition of claim 1, wherein R^(b) and R^(c) of the compound offormula (I) are both hydrogen.
 15. The composition of claim 2, whereinR^(a) of the compound of formula (II) is a C₁₋₆ alkyl.
 16. Thecomposition of claim 2, wherein R^(a) of the compound of formula (II) ismethyl.
 17. The composition of claim 2, wherein R^(a) of the compound offormula (II) is hydrogen.
 18. The composition of claim 2, wherein R^(b)and R^(c) of the compound of formula (II) are independently selectedfrom hydrogen or methyl.
 19. The composition of claim 2, wherein R^(b)and R^(c) of the compound of formula (II) are both hydrogen.